Photoionization and cold collision studies using trapped atoms
The authors have used laser cooling and trapping techniques to investigate photoionization and cold collisions. With laser-trapped Rb, they have measured the photoionization cross section from the first excited (5P) level by observing the photoionization-induced loss rate of neutral atoms from the trap. This technique has the advantage that it directly measures the photoionization rate per atom. Knowing the ionizing laser intensity and the excited-state fraction, the measured loss rate gives the absolute cross section. Using this technique, the Rb 5P photoionization cross section at {approximately}400 nm has been determined with an uncertainty of 9%. The authors are currently attempting to extend this method to the 5D level. Using time-ordered pulses of diode-laser light (similar to the STIRAP technique), they have performed very efficient two-photon excitation of trapped Rb atoms to 5D. Finally, they will present results from a recent collaboration which combines measurements form conventional molecular spectroscopy (single photon and double resonance) with photoassociation collisions of ultracold Na atoms to yield a precise ({le}1 ppm) value for the dissociation energy of the X {Sigma}{sub g}{sub +} ground state of the Na{sub 2} molecule.
- OSTI ID:
- 394121
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9605105-; ISSN 0003-0503; TRN: 96:028784
- Journal Information:
- Bulletin of the American Physical Society, Vol. 41, Issue 3; Conference: 27. annual meeting of the Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (DAMOP) of the American Physical Society (APS), Ann Arbor, MI (United States), 15-18 May 1996; Other Information: PBD: May 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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